SC notice to Centre, EC on post-poll violence in West Bengal

The petition claimed that as many as 15 BJP workers or sympathisers were murdered and women were abducted and raped

The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from the Centre and the Election Commission on a plea for a court-monitored SIT probe into post-poll violence in West Bengal.

A bench of Justices Vineet Saran and Dinesh Maheshwari issued notice to the Centre, the poll panel and also to the West Bengal government on a petition filed by Lucknow-based advocate, Ranjana Agnihotri and another person.

The petition argued by advocate Hari Shankar Jain claimed that as many as 15 BJP workers or sympathisers were murdered and women were abducted and raped in post-poll violence after the ruling TMC retained its power in Assembly elections on May 2.

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"Thousands of citizens, mostly Hindus, were being targetted by Muslims as a revenge for supporting the BJP," the plea alleged, contending no appropriate action has been taken against the culprits putting the life, liberty and dignity of women and children in peril and future of Hindus to jeopardy.

Despite atmosphere of "terror, turmoil, fear, unrest and suppression of Hindus", unfortunately, the Union government observed ritual of summoning report without any follow-up action, the plea said.

As a result of violence, loot, killings and terror, Hindus were forced to leave their villages en masse like what had happened in Kashmir in 1990, the petitioner said, also seeking compensation for the victims.

The petition sought a direction to the Centre and State to rehabilitate those who were forced to migrate to Assam, and deploy armed forces or paramilitary to restore normalcy. It also asked the court to direct the Centre to exercise power under Article 355 and 356 in view of "deteriorating conditions, posing a threat to sovereignty and integrity of the country".